Lien

Etymology

From French “lien” (a bond or tie), from Latin “ligamen” (a bond), from “ligare” (to bind) — the same root as “ligament” and “ally.” A lien is literally a binding: a legal tie fastening a debt to a specific piece of property.

noun · /LEEN/
A legal claim placed on someone’s property as security for a debt, blocking its sale until the debt is paid.
What it names
The invisible string a creditor ties to your house or car — reach for it to explain why a property can’t be sold clean while money is still owed against it.
Example
The unpaid contractor put a lien on the house, so the owners couldn’t sell until they settled the bill.
Related idea
A lien attaches to a specific asset as security for a debt; a judgment is a court’s broader ruling that you owe money — a creditor often converts a judgment into a lien to actually collect.